Red Sox ace Chris Sale to return from Tommy John surgery, make 2021 season debut Saturday against Orioles

Sale made his final rehab start Saturday for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, tossing 4 2/3 shutout innings and striking out eight hitters. He allowed just two hits and three walks in the WooSox' win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

With five rehab starts under his belt, Sale told reporters after Saturday's game that he felt ready to make his return to Major League Baseball after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2020, according to Boston.com's Conor Roche.

"I felt like what I did tonight, I could have gone and done that in a big league game. I would say my last two starts, I've felt normal," he said. 

Sale has not pitched in an MLB game since Aug. 13, 2019, and the Red Sox, who are 2-8 in their last 10 games, could certainly use him as the starting rotation has struggled mightily as of late.

In 2019, Sale went 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA, 1.086 WHIP and 218 strikeouts in 147.1 innings. It was by far his worst season in the majors, but after undergoing surgery, Sale admitted in May that he felt better than he ever has.  

Sale is returning at the perfect time as the BoSox look to turn things around and clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2018.